


Edification

by Anonymous



Series: Nano 2018 [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Gen, Ichigo tutoring kids, Part of series of plunnies written out somewhat during nano, and presented for your enjoyment, because he's the eternal big brother, edited weeks later
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-05 23:23:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17334329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: It’s (another) time travel AU. This time? Aizen was taken care of quietly a bit earlier on, and his influence is fading away. Tousen is dead too, but most of the other shinigami are just continuing on with their normal pre-Aizen lives.But Ichigo is still here.





	Edification

**Author's Note:**

> It’s (another) time travel AU. This time? Aizen was taken care of quietly a bit earlier on, and his influence is fading away. Tousen is dead too, but most of the other shinigami are just continuing on with their normal pre-Aizen lives.  
> But Ichigo is still here. Sure, the future looks a lot brighter. But now he’s really, really alone and with his mission done it strikes him harder than ever that all those people he sacrificed for don’t technically (and probably won’t) exist anymore. So he’s in hardcore mourning, and the Shiba clan just…doesn’t know what to do about it. They don’t know the scope of what Ichigo’s lost, and how could he tell them, anyway?

While Ichigo would have preferred going straight into a division, he understood that if he didn't want a LOT of attention, he'd need to establish himself a bit before stepping in to the Gotei 13. That didn't mean he was happy with the wait for the start of the academic year, either. He was going to go crazy waiting for something, anything to do.

Ichigo had never been any good at doing nothing for extended periods of time, and for most of his life (and particularly during the war) it hadn't even been an option. Up to this point, every decision about what he was doing at that moment meant he was actively deciding something else was less important or could wait until later, and not in the casual 'I can do my homework later' kind of way; these decisions were 'I'm actively deciding where I'm going to keep people from dying'.

Now? Not only having nothing important to do, but having essentially nothing to do at all? It was unsettling.

So here Ichigo was, basically just wandering. He'd raided the clan library, found a LOT of books about kido, skipped those (just because he was bored didn't mean he was going to blow himself up for fun, thanks), some history, some poetry (and not the good kind)- before finding one he remembered Byakuya recommending a few years ago. In the future that didn't exist…what kind of verb did one use for a future that was also in the past (but was also no longer the future)?

Right. Tales of the Under & Lost. Dodging multiple looks of concern and pity from all sides, he did his level best to get lost among people, buildings, trees.

Ichigo wished he didn't look quite so much like the Shiba clan head, it made lying about his lineage basically laughable.

Ichigo thought he was in the clear when a wad of paper was chucked directly at his head with a frustrated scream. Catching the projectile, he looked around, unsettled but not threatened. There was a kid, now kicking at a tree. Ichigo uncrumpled the paper, and found it was a test with a rather terrible score.

"Seems like your understanding of division sucks, kid, but don't take it out on me or the tree. We didn't do anything."

The brat snapped his head Ichigo's direction, jaw halfway open in surprise. "Uh, sorry?"

"It's fine. Sorry to say, your math isn't, and your situational awareness sucks too." Geez, could the brat's eyes get any bigger? There was something reminiscent of Yuzu, when someone said something that was surprising.

"Sorry." The brat took the crumpled test from Ichigo's hand.

"Don't be sorry, just work a little harder next time." On reflex, he flicked the brat's forehead, and started to walk away.

"Thank you?"

That really should have been the end of it, as Ichigo made his way towards a gazebo he knew pretty much no one else ever used. But the kid was following behind him. Not quite within arms reach, but not far enough that it was just a coincidence.

Ichigo stopped and turned back a little. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"My math test?"

"What?"

"You said it looked bad, and to work harder, so I thought you knew what I was doing wrong."

"I can tell it was bad from the score, kid."

"But you're older! Not old old, but you should know something this easy, right?"

"Don't try to bait me, I'm not that stupid."

"So you're a little stupid?"

"Don't insult someone you're asking a favor from, kid."

Undaunted, the brat just stares at Ichigo and oh boy does the resemblance to his youngest sister start to burn.

"Please?"

Ichigo sighs deeply, utterly. It consumes his being. "Why me?" He asks, not so much the kid as his fate, the universe.

"Because you're not working," ouch, "or in school yet, and everyone else is busy" just grind it in there, why don't you? "and you knew something was wrong, so please?"

Honestly, Ichigo should have known this battle was lost the moment he stopped to talk to the kid.

"Whatever. But I'm not going to help you if you're not going to try, got it?"

"Got it, nii-san!" While he was frozen, internally flinching from the title, the kid dashed forward and grabbed Ichigo's hand.

"So, where are we going?" Ichigo shook himself and shrugged.

"Guess you'll find out in a moment."

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

Ichigo hadn't meant for it to become a regular thing, he really hadn't. The brat- "Ta-ka-shi, get it right!"- was pretty stubborn and convinced of both a., Ichigo's open availability and b., Ichigo's fantastic tutoring abilities.

It could be worse. The kid wasn't completely terrible, and it did give Ichigo something to do, since due to his 'open availability', the kid hung out with Ichigo and nagged him for help every day. Of course eventually the kid wasn't satisfied with that.

"Brat, who's this?"

"Do you seriously not remember my name?"

Ichigo ignored the freeloader and turned to the newcomer herself, who bore a resemblance to Takashi, but honestly most Shiba's looked a bit like each other (but not as much as the Kuchiki's). Her hair was a bit darker, and much better tamed than Takashi's. Ichigo gave a heartfelt sigh.

"Alright. Who are you?"

"I'm Takashi's older sister, Modoka. He said that you were really good at teaching. I'm having trouble with some of my schoolwork, and mom says I'll have to start cutting out my music lessons if I don't get better. 'School comes first,' she said." The girl tilted her head to the side. "I really like music. I brought along some examples of recent tests and class work so you can get a good idea of what I'm having trouble with." She began to pull out neatly-labeled files and lay them on the table in front of Ichigo. "I would be very grateful if you could help me, please, nii-san."

Ichigo was no better refusing Modoka than he had been her little brother a few weeks ago.

"Fine. Let's all start with math today, and go from there."

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Although Modoka was more organized, it took more effort to get her to focus. She preferred thinking about and working on her music, school was merely a means to an end. Probably not even that much if her mother hadn't insisted of a good education first. Still, she took notes and reviewed and Ichigo quickly learned to identify when Modoka was paying attention and when she was just drifting mentally.

It also seemed to help Takashi, since he enjoyed having someone else to suffer study with. They were still kind of brats, but Ichigo wasn't bored anymore. Of course, it wasn't long before one of Takashi's friends found out he was getting 'super smart help' and wanted in too. Nana was a short kid, with large dark eyes and way too much curiosity. For her, Ichigo got put through the wringer every time a new question came up.

Here, he thought bitterly, was a kid who never left their 'but why?' phase. Honestly, her poor parents. Nana brought her older brother, who was slightly younger than Modoka. He was less inquisitive, but incredibly talkative. Hajime didn't really need much tutoring, but he didn't seem like the type to pass up any kind of social gathering. After Hajime came Hinata, Keiji, and Kyouya. Why his life was like this, Ichigo had no idea. It had to be some kind of punishment. Shiro Zangetsu just laughed himself silly. Whatever.

"Nii-san, I heard my parents saying that you were going to become a shinigami soon." Ah, that would be Kyouya who, bless his soul, didn't understand delicate topics, subtlety, or really anything other than blunt conversation.

"Sure." Brilliant move, Ichigo. Talk about blood in the water.

"So you are? Why?" Ugh.

"Kid, are you done with your essay yet?"

The brat shook his head, flicking his blank paper with an idle finger. "Nope. But I wanna know."

Soul King save him from idiot children. The others weren't even pretending they weren't listening, even shy little Keiji twisted around to get a better look.

"Because I want to, that's why." Kyouya whined, and so did Nana.

"That's not an answer!" She huffed, pointing a dramatic finger at Ichigo. "Why do you WANT to be a shinigami, nii-san?"

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Okay. It was just a small crisis. Teeny-tiny. But there it was. Ichigo…really couldn't remember much from the rest of the tutoring lesson. He'd ignored the question and after a few half-hearted attempts to get back into tutoring, called it a day. It was really, really stupid to let one question get to him like this, but at the time it just hit him like a mountain face-first. Technically. Technically, there was not much of a reason to, Ichigo supposed. Well. There were a few issues later on down the road, but compared to Aizen, vastly surmountable. Plus, Ichigo didn't have to be a shinigami to protect…the people who weren't currently his friends yet but had been (could be? Would have been?).

It was all ridiculous, really. Shiro had been fantastically well behaved, but Ichigo knew himself. Not fighting would just not work out in the long run. He was born for a war, and there was enough of a monster in him that he needed that fight. Ichigo had wondered more than once how Unohana-san dealt with her own bloodlust, or if centuries of fighting was enough that what little fighting she did now was enough to hold it off. From consuming her completely.

So there really wasn't any way that Ichigo could just not be a shinigami. Plus, out of all available options, it would give him the most independence and freedom from the Shiba's.

Honestly, what was Ichigo freaking out about? He shook himself mentally. Or rather, Shiro pictured it for him. All he had to do was think about it a little. Maybe he had kept everyone safe from Aizen. That didn't mean there weren't other threats. Plus, Soul Society itself could use some shaping up. Maybe this time he could do that from the inside, and they wouldn't have to wait for some egotistical asshole to come along and kill people until the lesson caught on. Working as a shinigami would also give him better opportunities to meet his friends again. He could still protect them, even if they didn't quite realize it.

Okay. Okay.

Ichigo was breathing again. He'd figured out his purpose. It hadn't changed, really. It looked a little different, was all. Ichigo protecting was still the core of it. He sighed. At least he'd had this freak out mostly in private. Hopefully, those brats wouldn't notice too much off about his behavior, and he could give them an answer tomorrow, and everything would go back to normal-

"Ichigo?" It was Kaien. "Heeeey, just wanted to check on you," for fucks sake- "I heard from a kid that you got a bit upset this afternoon-" Of course they told someone. Who was Ichigo kidding? "Ichigo, I know you're there. Please don't make me talk to the door, my sister already thinks I'm an idiot, someone's going to tell her I was talking to furniture again and she's not going to let me live it down-"

Kaien cut off when Ichigo abruptly opened the door. Apparently, it seemed that talking to furniture required leaning against it, and so down Kaien went. He'd have taken Ichigo with him if Ichigo hadn't dodged in time.

"You could have caught me," Kaien groused, rolling over to glare at Ichigo. Ichigo was not impressed.

"Maybe, when one is asking someone to open the door, they shouldn't be leaning against said door." Kaien winced at that, but then smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, that's a good point."

Ichigo didn't really like people inside his room, and so walked into the hall, glancing over his shoulder at Kaien in a silent message to get the fuck up and out of his personal space. Kaien took the hint, and closed the door behind him.

"C'mon, I've got the good sake hidden over this way." Kaien grabbed at Ichigo's elbow, who had more or less resigned himself to this conversation. Avoidance didn't work super well against the Shiba's, the stubborn bastards. At least Kaien was being discreet-ish.

Kaien led Ichigo to what he called his 'clan-matters' office, which was mostly just a large sitting room with a desk shoved into the corner. Closing the door with a flourish, Ichigo watched as his idiot clan head then performed a super-fancy kido that unlocked a secret compartment in the wall. Brandishing the 'good sake' like an Olympic torch, Kaien grabbed two cups from the visible liquor cabinet and poured some for both of them. Ichigo sighed. This whole thing was taking way too long; he was really ready to go do anything else.

"Right," said Kaien after downing at least half his cup in one go. Was it really that hard to talk to him? "So this kid comes up to me a little while ago, and she seems worried and tells me I need to fix something 'cause she's not sure how, then her brother comes up and is kind of glaring at me and tells me that I can't be forcing people to become shinigami if they don't want to-" And Ichigo is listening to all of this with a rising headache, and finds himself taking a long sip of sake himself. Huh, it actually is the good stuff.

"And as I'm trying to ask them what the hell they're talking about another couple of kids comes up and asks why I'm not taking care of people better, aren't I the clan head-" Ichigo feels slightly disassociated from this whole conversation. The fuck is wrong with these kids. "And as I'm trying to figure out just what the hell they're talking about even MORE kids come up and they start asking- I say asking, but it was really more demanding- that I tell 'nii-san' they're really sorry and to please come back tomorrow they'll behave better-" Didn't Modoka and the older kids have that big test at the end of the week? Manipulative brats. He was almost proud.

"And at this point, all of them are talking at once, I've got like, a dozen kids surrounding me and telling me that I need to help them with something or someone but I don't even have a name and just when I think it can't get worse, one of them accuses me of trying to make their precious 'nii-san' an indentured servant or something and- to make a very long story short, eventually I found out who they were talking about and I'm honestly afraid that if I don't fix whatever it is they think is wrong I'll be mobbed and stoned. Or perhaps tarred and feathered, either way, those kids seem capable of it." Kaien was staring into his empty cup with a shell-shocked look, and Ichigo felt a bit bad. He knew the kids well enough to prevent getting mobbed but also acknowledged that they were quite the little terrors; especially all united into one group like that.

"So I guess I've got to ask, Ichigo, what happened exactly. I mean, I have an idea, but I don't know. If I don't know, I can't help you." Kaien had stopped soul-gazing at his empty cup and was now looking at Ichigo, face serious and open.

"I don't need help, Kaien," Ichigo stated firmly. "Earlier today, Kyouya-one of the kids who mobbed you- asked me a question I hadn't really thought about. Why I was going to be a shinigami," he added at Kaien's look. Right, no avoidance. "I just hadn't thought about it much since…everything, I guess, and I experienced a small crisis." Kaien waited, and Ichigo steeled himself. Words were hard. "It wasn't that I felt like you or anyone else had trapped or tricked me into going to the academy, it was more of a," Ichigo gestured vaguely, "I hadn't considered it as a choice, just an eventuality. And I didn't change my mind about it," Ichigo glared at Kaien, daring him to challenge that statement. Kaien nodded. Acknowledgement or encouragement, maybe both.

"I just- I haven't had the chance to make a decision like that. In a long time. Without it really becoming bad," Ichigo cringed internally at the phrasing, but soldiered on. No way was he explaining that any further.

"So. So when Kyouya asked, it forced me to think about it as a decision. Not just an obvious next step. That's all. I've thought about it now, and I didn't change my mind or anything." Ichigo fell silent, and decided to be a good cousin and pour more sake for Kaien, who seemed to want it if the twitching of his fingers was any indication but was also frozen in thought.

"Okay. That's- that's all okay, Ichigo," said Kaien after a few moments. "I was a little worried that you were just doing what you thought was expected of you to- I don't know, contribute to the clan or something. Or maybe to get away from us," and Ichigo focused on not looking at Kaien's face, "but not as something you wanted. But as long as you know what you want and why you want it- all I can do is say go for it." Kaien gives a mock toast, and Ichigo rolls his eyes. Overdramatic beavers, the lot of them.

"On a side note, why exactly was I mobbed by so many kids? Where the hell did they all come from?" Ichigo placed his empty cup down and shrugged, heading towards the door.

"Ichigo, wait! Are you building your own army of bratty kids? Ichigo? Ichigo!"

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

The next day Ichigo was greeted by whole crowd of rather serious faces all seated quietly with their books and papers ready to go. He sighed. How incredibly tiring and troublesome this whole clan was.

"Right, brats. You can relax. I'm not mad at you or anything-"

"You're not disappointed with us either?" Asked Keiji, gaze firmly at the pencil he was playing with.

"No, I'm not disappointed either. It was kind of stupid, but I appreciate the thought. I mean, I don't have a clue what could possibly have possessed all of you to accuse Kaien of- all that stuff you accused him of. Does anyone besides me remember that he's the clan head?" Kyouya looks confused.

"But you yell at him all the time and stuff." Great, this was even more Ichigo's own fault.

"First, it was only that once. Second, I'm always prepared for the consequences-"

"We were too, nii-san," cut in Hajime, adjusting his glasses.

"-Because I can protect myself, thanks. And if you didn't notice, the fact that-"

"Yeah! We weren't going to just let Kaien-dono bully you, duh," added Takeshi. Geez, every one of these brats looked way too pleased with themselves.

"Don't interrupt! As I was saying, the fact that he lets me yell at him should have clued you in that I'm not getting bullied by him."

Several sets of eyes are hitting him with their best kicked puppy looks. Ichigo holds out several seconds on principal before relenting.

"Fine! Fine. Thanks for that, I guess. Even if it was kinda stupid and really, don't do it again." Ichigo took a deep breath and turned to Kyouya. "To answer your question, because I want to protect people. Now, if I remember correctly, there's a very big test coming up in a few days-" Ichigo shoved them right along with the lesson-

And that was that.

**Author's Note:**

> Missing Scenes:  
> -All the parents of said kids were also more than ready to throw down to protect Ichigo if it was necessary  
> -The parents of said kids meeting Ichigo for the first time when he’s very patiently explaining the finer points of grass-whistling to a crowd of kids  
> -The parents decide Ichigo is some kind of divine blessing with the way some of the kids grades have gone up  
> -Modoka dedicates the first song she composes and performs to ‘her favorite nii-san’. Some people are more confused than others, and Ichigo pretends not to be affected. None of his students believe it.  
> So, I had... a lot of ideas for different Bleach AUs, and decided to use Nano as a way to make myself write them down a little bit. So they are very piecemeal, and sort of intended as springboards for larger stories. If anyone finds any sort of inspiration, please go for it and let me know.


End file.
